Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 322 — page 12: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

- persons, whe would, by identifying 1 so ene ee we - — —_——— an -- — - the latter had formed another little plot, while | running toward the hovel. A moment of deep stillness followed the click- ing of the lock, as Pedro fastened himself wittiin. Then caine to the ears of Reed, the souud of a terrific struggle; with deep curses, and the clashing of knives, and overturning of furniture! The next moment, there came a cry of agony, followed by a pleading calltor help. This satis- | fied Reed that, unless he went to the assistance of bis yellow-skinned pard, the “jig was up”— the gold was lost! In the greatest excitement be ran and threw himself against the door, which flew open. The next he heard was the sound of a heavy | blow, and then came the sodden fall of a human | being upon the hard clay floor. Then Pedro Pernales stepped from the door- way into the moonlight, panting laboriously as he muttered: “Oaramba! That was a lucky plan. By the time Senor Reed comes to his senses, he will be prepared to receive the bad news, and he will not think of accusing Pedro. But the doubloons must be found. I'll have them, if I spill blood! And Seocr Reed must be frightened from San Antonio,” After recovering from his fierce struggle with the chairs and an old table, all of which had | been demolished in the sham fight, the Greaser | again entered and lighted a candle. Stretched upon the floor was the form of Red Reed, senseless, and with a great bruise upon his head, from which the blood was flowing. Pedro grinned bideously. It was a great joke to the Mexican. Not so, however, to Reed; for the Greaser had struck bis white pard a fearful blow to make sure that he would fall like a log. Closing the door, he now took a billet of wood and gave himself a sharp knock on the head also; but, as no blood flowed, he pricked | the swelling with his knife. Pedro Pernales had no intention of doing business by halves. Then he seated himself upon tbe floor, and reaching up the side of the building, he took down a gourd that was filled with water and ured it over Reed’s head, and his own “ ca- se. Tbe Mexican then sat, his legs drawn up, and his head bowed forward upon them; but kee ing an eye upon bis still unconscious friend. soon as the latter began to revive Pedro com- menced to groan, but in a low, weak manner. Twice Reed rolled over, groaning heavily. Then his eyes opened, but it was evident that the miscreant had not the remotest idea where he was or what had happened. , however, he caught a view of the form of his pard, all doubled up, and heard his moans of distress. He then sprung to a sitting posture and glared about the jacal, at first in bewilderment; then, as the near past flasbed upon his mind, be stag red to his feet and yelled ina ae : burn me forever! The devil is to pay and no pitch hot! Rouseup, man! The gold is gone—lI’]l bet my life on it! But, 1’ll bave it back, or lose my life trying. “In the fiend's name, what does it mean? Who did you find here? Rouse up. I say! Speak, me, if I don’t believe I'm going | stark staring mad!” But the head of Pedro moved not. He kept up the same low moaning. Reed was almost. beside himself in reality. “ Confound it!” he exclaimed, as he staggered | forward, clutched the forelock of the Mexican, and jerked his head upward. But the face, and even the eyes of Pedro were expressionless, ‘Devil take me if they didn’t give him a harder welt than they did me!” he muttered; " +) I'll search for some liquor—I need it my- self. Rodney Reed took the candle, and passed be- bind the cow-hide screen. Then he made a sud- den halt, leaning against the end of the wretch- ed building for support. A suspicion, strong as a conviction, had shot through his brain, and caused him to become faint. The empty sack vt before him! But it was not this that so greatly affected him, He bad been almost prepared, after what had happened, to find the gold and stocks miss- ty ——————————— eS ——— ere was something else, It was the chest, in which he had placed the clothes worn by him, when he murdered Nor- man Norrington. The lid of this chest was thrown open, and there were plain proofs that the —_ had been ostaps Alp wragte out of place. Indeed, it lay upon fleor; and the wood, into which it had been driven, was broken and splintered. Reed remembered that he had given Pedro oye key, and bad instructed bim bury the e Why, then, had the chest been broken open, if it had not been done by some one else? He believed the Mexican had lied! The scoundrel had not buried the blood-stained clothing. It had been stolen! It was now in the hands of some person or e horrid rr LL LE LLL LLL LL LLL LLL _ LLL LLL LL A em a ee eer i The Crimson Coyotes. a — meee garments, prove him to bave been the murderer of the old banker! a a a Se young man’s favor. Yet, they bad been com- pelled toadmit that the proofs against bin were Then there came another thought into the | overwhelming. miscreant’s mind. Upon the receipt of the note, bowever, they If the bundle had not been stolen previous to | became confident that Clarence was innocent; Pedro’s baving met bim among the mesquites, the Greaser would have had no occasion to have asserted that he had buried it; and, if the clothb- ing had been stolen at that time, as a matter of course, the gold and stocks bad been taken then also, It was terrible to Red Reed, thus to be forced, by the evidences of bis own senses, to the con- clusion that the only man in the whole world whom he had roamed, and upon whom he had depended so entirely, had proved a traitor to him—that this man himself had, in all prob- ability, removed and secreted the ill-gotten treasure! But be would speedily ascertain if such had, indeed, been the case. Reed believed that he could satisfy himself of the faithfulness or treachery of bis yellow-skin- ned accomplice, by one single question. This, in the state of mind in which the Mexican now was would, by the manner in whicb he received it, reveal all that he so much wished to know. If treacherous, he could scarcely stand the test that be would put him to. The alarmed assassin was resolved to know the worst. Pedro felt that something was wrong—that Reed had discovered something which had awakeved his suspicions, or be would not have remained silent so long, but would have re- turned with the liquor, It was clear to him that his Texan pard bad given up all hope in connection with the gold, when he recovered, and realized what had taken place. Therefore, bis continued silence, and absence behind the screen, must bave originated in something connected with the clothing: and which was of as much, and more, importance to Rodney Reed, than even the gold. However, for the life of him, Pedro could not think of any ay evidence against his asser- tion, that he bad buried the bundle, But his mind was intent upon tbe subject, when Reed returned with the liquor, The latter lifted the head of the Mexican, and poured a small stream of whisky into his mouth, Then, when be perceived the eyes of bis patient heginning to brighten, and knew that be must be recovering, be spoke out quick- ly, and in a most peremptory manner. ‘Pedro, give me the key to the chest! Quick, I say—I wish to look inside of it!” Like a flash of light, all was plain to Pedro Pernales. Justin the nick of time to save his life, the cause of Reed’s suspicious silence behind the screen, and his’ delay there, were plain to the no? Mexican. e knew that Reed bad discovered that the chest had been broken open, instead of being unlocked; as would have been the cuse, bad he taken out the bundle. He knew that his life hung by a hair—‘hata cocked revolver was at the back of his head, ready to blow out his brains on the instant. ‘*] have not got the key, Senor Reed! I lost it, soon after you gave it to me. and I was forced to break open the chest. But, what has happened? My bead iscrushed in!” at answer, given so promptly, saved Pedro’s life, and greatly relieved and rejoiced Rodney Reed. in a little time, both bad regained their pow- ers of reasoning; but they became more en- raged, as they realized that they had lost a for- tune. Tne Greaser procured a torch, and examined the ground, around the jacal; ascertaining from the foot-prints, that a mere youth ha been alone in committing the robbery. Red Reed was elated at even this slight en- couragement. He urged Pedro to continue the search, and follow the trail. Had there not been so much for him to think of, and that all suspicions of the treachery of Pedro had vanished, Reed might have reasoned that it was very queer that the Mexican should have bad sense and control over himself, suffi- cient to have poured the water over his face and head, and then relapse into the state in which he had found him. This would have re- awakened his doubts and suspicions. CHAPTER XV. UNSHAKEN FIDELITY. San ANTONIO was wild with excitement. From the fact that Norman Norrington had been assassinated in his own house, and, as was believed, by one of his confidential clerks, the clamors of the citizens were universal for the per and immediate execution of Clarence eman., Sheriff Barnes, reading the note that was brought bim by the night pursuers, was greatly puzzled. Hae paoraiy wie| called into consultation William Lyons, the chief detective of Bexar county. These two oren were personally acquainted with Celemas, amd were prepossesed in the but for all that, there seemed but little hope of proving it. ney Reed’s well-known babits were against him, yet it did not seem possible that he would have the nerve to commit such a crime. and there was apparently no motive, as no one sus- pected Reed’s love for his employer’s Caug!.ter, and therefore they knew nothing of bis jeal- ousy. Lyons advised the working up of the case ina secret manner, and he resolved to begin at once making investigations, Both he and Barnes were of the opinion that it was their first move to visit the cffices of the old banker, and assure themselves that al] was he ree in that quarter. t was not yet daylight, and the news of the murder had not become general; therefore there was no crowd about the bank. The two men entered and locked themselves: in, To their amazement, they found a key in the safe-door, and the same slightly ajar. Jerking open the door, Lyons uttered a cry of astonishment. The safe had been robbed! But, how was it? The sig, Bebe by Cole- man, was the original one. The one found in the safe was a roughly made duplicate, The detective stooped and picked up a crum- pled half-sheet of foolscap, which, upon being smoothed out, was found to be written upon, It was the note of warning left by Clarence, and which we have read. After perusing this the two men were satisfied that it was strong evidence in favor of Coleman and against Reed, who, they now felt was not only the assassin, but the robber of the safe. Here had been a motive, gi sing that Reed held strong enmity egainst Coleman, It was evident that Reed bad visited the of- fice, ascertained that bis fellow clerk was copy- ing at nigbt, and knowing the nature and im- portance of the pape which called for this work out of hours, bad felt positive that Cole- man would go to the mansion to deliver them to the old banker. Tbus timing the arrival of Clarence, the vil- lain bad slain Norrington and escaped, having. in some manner gained possession of Coleman’s knife, which, with the other circumstantial] evi- dence, made out so strong a case against him, They noticed also several drops of fresh blood on and near the desk, Thus far, matters Jooked favorable toward vindicating Coleman, but there seemed to be no grounds as he for arresting Rodney Reed—the cunning villain baving made sure that there had been no witnesses of his movements, Barnes and Lyons decided that it would be wrong to disclose the fact that the safe had been robbed, as this would only increase the ex- citement, and they wished to move with delib- eration. Consequently they departed, locking the offices, and leaving a placard upon the door, upon which was the following: ‘*Norman Norrington was murdered last night. ‘* This office is in the care of the proper officials; all information in regard to the murder will soon be made known. “ Clarence Coliman 8 believed to be innocent of the charade brought against him! * The real murderer is at large, and $500 is the re- ward offered by Robert Barnes, Sheriff of Bexar county, for him, after all doub:s are dispelled as to his guilt. “The mayor will, without doubt, offer an equal sum, after being made uainted with the facts in the case. (Signed), RoBERT BARNES. WriuiaM Lyons.” The two men parted at the Main Plaza, Barnes returning to bis home and Lyors pro- ' ceeding at once to the Norrington Mansion, | q The coroner was already in charge. At daylight a jury was to be summoned. We must now pay our attention to Nora, after the escape of Clarence, It was some time before the nearly distracted negroes succeeded in reviving the poor girl, and even then she lay in a semi-conscions state, gazing fixedly upon the ceiling of the apart- ment, The chloroform, ogethes with the terri- ble shocks she had experienced, produced a strange effect upon the maiden’s brain, A phy- sician waa called in, and after restoratives had been administered, she became more natural. She knew that her father was dead—murder- ed!—and she had seen in his breast the well- known knife of ber lover. She had beheld the form of Clarence Coleman standing near the corpse, and with blood upon his face and hands! All this was indelibly stamped upon the brain of Nera Norrington, with all its dread signifi- cance, There had been, at the first instant, the thonght that ber father and Clarence had uarreled, and that ber lover had slain bim; but this vanished in a moment, although the scene seemed so strongly to indicate it, A second glamce ut Clirence, and she felt. EGOMIGVOOKS = «? —- it